Denying Destiny
by Amgwtfover9000
Summary: When they all awoke that morning, they did not know who would be coming back or not. Someone didn't come back, but it was the person nobody thought would fall, and it was the person she never imagined would mean so much to her. Updated to Chapter 7.
1. Chapter 1

Hi, I would just like a minute to make a few points before I start to help any readers to better understand the story I am trying to create.

Firstly, The story takes place At the BEGINNING of the final episode, Avatar Aang. With Sokka and Toph on the roof of the airship. Also Even though there is no way to see if Aang's reconnection with the Avatar state from the rock hitting his scar happened at the same time as this, I have decided that for the sake of drama in the opening of this story, it has : I have gone a very dramatic path with this story which is a change for me, however I decided I wanted to try and stir up some emotions.

Secondly, I have nothing against Katara + Aang, I just felt that I liked Toph + Aang a whole lot more, more appropriate, opposites attract, whatever it is, Its going to be Taang insinuating in this story, a lot. I am also aware of their ages but if the creators of the show can try and pair Katara with Aang and Toph with romantic feelings towards Sokka, I can get away with this. ;)

Thirdly, if you see any of the horizontal lines breaking apart paragraphs, this generally means a switch in character perspective, or focusing on a different character's events. Just something to help both you and I keep on track of what is happening with who :P

I have kept the story as M rated because I do not want to be limited to anything during my writing, if I have an idea, I want to be able to write it, whether it is an extravagant scene or some little detail which I need the M rating for to continue my story.

Finally, I do not own Avatar or any of it's characters etc. etc. etc., and this is my very first fanfic, so I am open to criticism by all means, just no troll criticism :P. Let's get started. Hope you enjoy.

**Chapter One: Sinking Stone**

She could feel the immense vibrations rippled through the core of the airship's hull beneath them from every airship they collided with on their arcing sweep.

She could feel the flames licking and scorching the loose strands of hair that flailed behind her as she was dragged away from the aggravated source.

She could feel him leap with her in tow as he drove his sword into the hull in a desperate attempt to halt their fall, and she could feel herself plummeting when his sword lost it's hook in the metal and slipped out.

The only thing she couldn't feel, was his fingers reaching for hers as she fell.

and fell, and fell.

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Through the slight crack of the mound of earth holding him down, Aang could see his enemy, the same as before, but this time, the Avatar held no fear in his eyes, his glowing sky eyes. His hand shot out with deadly precision and latched onto the man's hanging beard, pulling himself up with it's support from beneath the rocks. A look of panic shimmered across the aged man's face in front of him, before his mindless fury took control again, sending a palm arcing for the flesh of his neck.

The focus of the young boys eyes did not shift even an inch, for he had no need to panic any more, it was as if the Fire Lord was fighting in slow motion, and as his hand brushed aside the incoming hand as if he were swatting a light breeze on the air. As the corner of his focus caught the glare of a pillar of flames to his left, the newly reinvigorated Avatar focused on bending the air currents surrounding the pillar down to him, and unleashed it chaotically into the chest of the shocked Fire Lord, sending him barrelling with such force that he instantly collapsed for breath, after leaving a man-sized imprint in the rock he had smashed into.

As the most powerful being in the world looked down at the coughing frame in the distance before him, he felt his fists tighten as if they no longer belonged to his, he willed them to stop, this was not the way he had wanted it to end, but the hatred in his hands said otherwise, as each muscle contracted out of mourning for every soul this monster in front of him had removed from existence. His fingers darted out suddenly and he felt his arm being lifted above his head, fingers extended, feeling the coursing wind whipping into a thin, substantial layer, which came down with the descent of it's wielders scythed fingers, hunting for it's target, gladly willing to end it's disgraceful life, the arrows patterned across his body glowing with an unworldly demand for vengeance.

...And then flared in shock as the ears of their host perked up, and what they heard left a look of worry and panic across his illuminated face.

A panic-stricken "AAAHHHHHH" screamed somewhere above him, the blind girl's tone of voice unmistakable from her mouth as she plummeted to the ground, her arms flailing wildly in front of her, desperately trying to discover how to cease her descent. The onslaught of wind ripping the shrill cries from her and carrying it across the wind, to the still alert ears and turning head of the shirtless monk in the valley below.

Hearing the voice of the blind earthbender triggered enough of his conscience to restore a portion of control to the glowing boy, As his own voice howled against the wind whipping everywhere around him

"Toph, NO!"

He moved his foot to the left, and felt a vast and unnatural resistance, as if a wall were blocking him from moving his stance further. His body frozen and shaking against itself, a drop of sweat rolling down the side of his cheek, and time seemed to slow to a halt around him, his gaze locked onto the empty space between the despicable Fire Lord, and the falling earthbender.

"_I need to save her, I can't let her die!" _He screamed at the void around him, needing to put an identity to the forces stopping him.

_You are the Avatar young monk, and you must tend to the needs of the world, before the needs of the few. Finish your duty. _The void replied, his mind hearing every word with crystal clarity. His head tilted awkwardly an inch towards the Fire Lord, still on his knees panting at the floor, he may never get another shot like this, he could easily just finish it right now and risk no chances, _you can finally end all the suffering right here._ _It is your duty, it is the purpose of your training, it is your destiny, you MUST redeem me now Aang, deliver the fatal blow._

Drops of sweat now cascaded freely down from his crown, creating jagged lines of water as they fell, his shaking causing them to move more like lightning down his face than clear straightened trails.

"_To hell with my duty, the world isn't worth living in if it is without the people I care about!" _He roared defiantly, his back straightening, and his foot gaining a centimetre of ground further to his left.

_You must learn to let her go Aang, to let go of all the people that bind you to this world._

His whole form shook with tremors, his mind's eye seeing two visions in the same sight, on one the Fire Lord vulnerable and defenceless in front of him. On the other...

His teeth clenched, a look of defiant anger seizing his features as the wind blade under his control dispersed, then renewed itself underneath him in a viscous spiral, then lashing out under the sole of his feet, rocketing him into the air towards the voice of the shrieking. The wind resistance bellowing against him, louder than the screams he desperately hoped would not suddenly end.

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As a certain female warrior held onto the ropes of an airship, a gust of wind to the side of her made her twist her neck to left to right so quickly she winced from the pain, seeing only a cylinder of air trailing a blur shoot past her sight below, she audibly gasped at the spectacle before a monstrous thunderclap reached her ears, then faded alongside the blur leading it.

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The glowing blur navigated the onslaught of rock pillars with supernatural precision, it was as if he had known the layout perfectly all his life. His senses went on overload when he heard a scream louder than the others, his gaze naturally focusing higher above him to pinpoint the location of it's source, his eyes widening when he saw the reason he could hear it so loud. Sheer determination enveloped his face as he redoubled the efforts of his airbending behind him, willing the air currents to push themselves faster still, His mind plotted the only course he could take to reach her in time, he drew a calm, but also urgent breath as he extended his palm in front of him, and crashed into the stone pillar in front of him.

A split second later reappearing on the other side, a perfect hole to fit his form remaining in the rock, he crashed through several in his path, no longer having the time to weave around them, even with his ferocious speed. He could now see the figure in front of him, roaring with the strain he bent his leg, then pushed with all the force he could muster at the young earthbender, never taking his sight off her as his gaze trailed downward.

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Toph knew instantly what had happened, and what was going to happen, her body panicked for it's own survival, trying so hard to form an idea to remain unharmed as the rush of wind told her the earth, her beloved earth, was coming closer and closer to her. However her mind had already come to terms with what was going to happen, Sokka and Suki were on the airship above her, Katara and Zuko were miles from her, and even twinkletoes was most likely under pressure from the Fire Lord right now, he would never even realize she was about to leave them all.

Her mind wandered purposely through the memories of her life, praising and regretting the things she had done, the things she had not done, and the things she had planned to do after today. She regretted leaving her parents so forcefully, she had probably broke their hearts when she just suddenly got up and fled their care after so long. She regretted her fights with Katara when she was only trying to look out for everyone in the group, and Toph had no right to yell at her the way she did at someone who took on such a burdensome role. But mostly she regretted standing by and pretending to hear and sense nothing as Twinkletoes' heartbeat raced every time Katara was near him. She was the greatest earthbender of all time, the champion of Earth Rumble 6, and the only metalbender in the known world, and yet she couldn't even put up a fight for the attention of the monk who had saved her from her life, she just stayed hidden behind her rock and frowned into her knees. Hanging her head in shame of herself, of her cowardice to even just talk alone to the airbender. A tear formed at the edge of her emerald eye, before being ripped from her by the fierce wing coursing around her form. She screamed instinctively a final time, then forced herself to close her eyes, and leave the world with dignity and bravery, picturing the serene look Twinkletoes, Aang, had when he was meditating. And her mouth curled inwards as her face melded to match the vision in her mind.

Her highly tuned hearing was still attached to the physical world though, as her ears pricked up at the sound of rocks being shattered to her right, another, then another, then another. The cracking sound of rock being destroyed every split second, the feeling of dread reinstating itself when she realized that the sounds were directly horizontal to her, she was close to the ground. Her features grimaced as she steeled herself for the inevitable clash, no longer caring about the sounds. In this free-fall, she truly couldn't see or feel anything. Her eyes closed from the rush of air. And for once in her life, she was truly afraid of the constant darkness all around her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: The Choices We Make**

Toph stood on the home island of Avatar Roku, on the ash that covered the once existent village, gazing down at the floor, wondering how Sozin could just betray his closest friend like he had done, what was wrong with these people? Twinkletoes had returned from his spirit world journey a few minutes ago and explained all he had seen to her, Katara and Sokka. Her thoughts were constantly trying to comprehend all that had happened in Aang's former life, and how some things had even managed to stick to his current life.

"Do you really think friendships can last more than one lifetime?" She had asked to no one in particular, remembering Monk Gyatsu befriending both Roku and Aang. Instead of a verbal response, Aang simply came to her and took her hand, she suddenly flushed and was momentarily stunned for what to do, but in the end her mind just remained blank of all but the feeling in her palm, and her mouth hung open ever so slightly, breathing shallowly.

"I don't see why not" Replied Aang as Katara then grabbed her other hand and the three stood there linked, just caught up in the moment of friendship and the other's touch.

"Toph I need you to do something for me" Aang said suddenly, she turned to gaze at him questionably, even though they both knew she could not see. Her mouth still hanging slightly open she prised him for more details with a look on her face.

"I need you to wake up for me."

Toph was unbelievably confused at his remark, she was standing right next to him, could feel his touch. "I am awake Twinkletoes, have you been hitting the cactus juice this time?" She snickered quietly.

"Please Toph, just wake up." Her look turned from one of humour to one of incomprehension, and outlined with a trace of fear.

"Twinkles, I am awake, I just told you, I'm looking at you now."

"Wake up Toph, Please, you have to wake up now!" Her face was now stained with worry, she tried to let go of his grip and step backward but he followed her, placing his other hand on her shoulder, she kept trying to back away from his alien words, but his grip just clasped her tighter and tighter each time she tried to recoil. His voice had become a shout now, urgency in it's tone.

"Toph! Wake up! Wake up now!" And with a very real shudder against her form from an unseen force, she did.

She was not sure if she had blacked out, or awoken, or was even in the real world right now. She could no longer see, the darkness firmly veiling her sight from everything, She could suddenly feel something hard hit her though, and she knew she had woken up just in time to see her end.

But she did not cease to breathe, to think, or to sense. She felt around for rock, but instead she found skin, toned muscle hidden underneath, her mouth opened wide in shock and her eyes flared into giant circles, as she placed her hand on the top of several bumps, then traced shakily with her fingers upwards, to a smooth wall, then to a smooth and oddly textured dome, her breath caught in her mouth, escaping only as a curious whisper.

"Aang?"

She could feel the form supporting her shift slightly, feeling an awkward sensation in her, she knew he was staring into her face. She begun letting her fingers droop down the front of his crown. She felt safe in his arms, and continued to let her hand fall to see his face as the air rushed through her hair, and suddenly her fingers froze with shock.

The air! She was still moving, but horizontally now instead of falling, but if anything faster than when she was dropping. Instinctively she clutched her arms to her chest and tucked her knees in like a ball. She suddenly felt herself turn swiftly in the air, his arms wrapped around her waist and upper back holding her fragile form close to his chest, enveloping her. As she felt a rippling surge hit him from behind, and she heard the shatter of more rock. The concussions continued to strike him in his spine as she held onto him tighter and tighter, he returning the contact with seething breaths in between strikes.

The barrage continued for several seconds, though the amount of times he must have crashed through the rocks must have been much, much more than the amount of time. Her body jumped slightly as they both crashed to earth, his arms holding her to him more tightly than ever now. And a voice whispered raggedly into her ear.

"Toph, I need … you to ugh...help slow us" Though for a second she looked confused at the voice, as if an animal had just spoke her language. The voice issuing the command was not Aang's, or at least it was filled with layers of voices on top of his. Maybe it was not him after all, maybe she her senses had only told her what she wanted to feel, maybe she never really was caught-

"TOPH! Now!" His hissing wince of pain mixed with the sound of scraping on the ground below her, shooting her senses back into her brain, she loosed her arms and tentatively lowered one to his side, touching the floor slightly to get a feel of the earth.

Before bringing it back up yelping with pain as she felt the graze on her finger began to form, she panicked suddenly, they were going too fast. But a voice in the back of her head snapped at her _Come on Toph! You are the greatest earthbender of all time! Aang needs you right now and your too scared to even help him? Where's your force? _She suddenly felt a great resolve take hold of her, and once again she held her arms to his side, then drove them into the ground, grasping it like the claws of a falcon, trying desperately to get a hold, to slow their sleep, willing anything to happen that would end the hissing monk's pain.

As she felt the rush of air begin to subside, her fingers grappled the ground with renewed vigour, they were slowing down dramatically! _Toph, you rule_ replied the voice in her head, a faint smile began to curve her lips, then it all ended abruptly when they hit another wide needle of stone, but this time, the airbender did not go through it. Her fingers in the earth felt the vibration clearly, and the imprint his back had left within the base of the rock She could feel his grip loosen around her, as she rolled from his arms to the earth.

"Aang..."

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His vision was overthrown by a curtain of red dropping over his sight, his already half closed eyes causing even more of a blur to affect his vision of the girl's mouth moving in front of him, but he could not hear any sound, it was like his ears were submerged in water, he could only hear her sounds with a loud hum, gurgled and distorted words assaulted his mind as his face tried to make sense of what had happened, what was happening now. His hand extended to the panic-stricken girl in front of him, then recoiled when he saw the dull arrows on his arms, no longer glowing back at him.

He heard a sound like air being shot directly into his ears, grasping them to stop the sensation, then released them when he could hear the words clearly.

"Aang! Aang! Speak to me!"

"Toph... I... " His eyes suddenly widened as he looked at the sea-foam eyed girl in front of him, her face lighting up with joy as she leapt forward, pouncing on him with a tremendous hug. He sat there stunned momentarily shuddering from the pain of her hands on his scar, then slowly switched to a smile, placing his arms around her waist, returning the hug. He smiled serenely, the pain temporarily forgotten, his head over her shoulder, breathing in her scent and visualising silent prayers thanking the gods she was alive. He opened his eyes to take in their location, then his orbs widened in horror as he witnessed the crackle and flash of arcing lightning approaching them.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: Once was enough**

She felt so helpless, here was her savior wincing in pain, not moving, heartbeat slowly declining,and she could not even see his injuries. _Oh gods no, don't let it be fatal._ Announced the voice in the back of her head, and this time she rallied alongside the voice, silently praying it was right again this time. His vibrations were so weak, she could barely see him, his form a blur where once it had been crystal clear and defined. She screamed his name in a vain attempt to get a reply, a response, a reaction, anything.

"Twinkles?"

She repeated his name, feeling her voice gaining volume, and tinged with fear. Her worries reached their peak as he lay still, not even a movement from him, she felt the gusts of wind surrounding them begin to die down, and her heart skipped a beat as water began to pool around her eyes. She threw her face forward into his direction, screaming as though he could hear her where he had gone to, her heart sank when nothing happened, her head followed suit and fell to the ground, her palms supporting her as a droplet shattered on the earth beside them. Then her hands picked up a vibration from the figure in front of her.

A blurred arm outstretched before his form, as if reaching for her, her despair transformed to hope as she called out to him,

"Aang, Aang! Speak to me!" Her heard leaned forward as if listening for a pin to drop amidst a hurricane. Then she felt an elevating sensation well up inside of her as she heard a ragged voice.

"Toph... I..." His body rustled to try and right itself, defining his being once more in her sight. She didn't wait to hear his words or what he had to say, she didn't care, He was alive! Springing upon him her arms wrapped around his neck and shoulders, holding him even tighter than she had during their descent, she could feel his body shiver as her hands accidentally dropped down to his back, quickly lifting them again, she could feel him calming and he held her back, he was alive. Her mouth beamed a smile as a final remnant of a tear wet his scarred flesh, and she thanked her gods silently that it was going to be alright, then in an instant, she felt his arms tense, and throw her to the side, rolling on the earth.

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With her thrown clear of the lightning's path, Aang steeled himself and took a forced breath as he extending arm, flexing his index and middle fingers out in a straight line, curling the others into his palm. His mind mentally stabilizing itself for survival, shutting out his pain momentarily so it could focus on the task at hand. His eyes never leaving the energy concentrated towards him in his darkening vision.

The instant the bolt connected with his fingertips, Aang could feel the surge through his arm, causing his shoulder to become unresponsive through the shuddering, slowly but determinedly he bought his sparking fingers to his centre, his opposite hand following the motion as if mirrored, then extending itself outwards above him., illuminating the reddened sky over him.

His body felt as if all his own energy had left alongside the forked energy, as his left leg refused to support him, attaching his knee to the floor. His breathing felt shallow, the curtain of red darkening even more, threatening to fail on him any moment, cutting the link to his senses. _I will not lose consciousness._ He swore to himself, thrusting his hand to the ground to support him as his chest heaved constantly.

Aang lowered his head and closed his eyes to try and compose himself back into the Avatar State, he could feel his power locked away inside of him, urging to break free at his command. He opened each lock one by one within himself, feeling the energy of his past lives restoring their hold.

Another thunderclap broke his trance as his head shot up, his arm shooting up faster, once again the enervating feeling took hold of him, the raw power coursing down his arm, the only thoughts in his mind the shifting of the stances to redirect the energy out his body and save himself, the motions much slower than the first time. His aim was more purposeful this time around though, gaining distance closer to it's primary source before releasing itself, splintering a rock pillar into pieces. Aang's head dropped again with a gasp, his supporting leg now shaking uncontrollably, and a viscous convulsion assaulting his forearms. His teeth once again clenched against each other, the feeling keeping his brain awake as his mind swirled, drawing a blank on any plan or tactic he tried to visualise. The monk lifted his head to stare at the figure directing death at him, but all he saw was more light.

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_The boy was a fool, putting the needs of one on a pedestal above the world, such acts show weakness, stupidity, notions which have no place in this world. In MY world! _The broad, recovered man landed on the hard earth across from the two children who had the audacity to stand up to him on this day of all days. A smirk hooked his lip as his arm circled the atmosphere around him, charging his fingertips with crackling energy, surrounding the man in an aura of white and turquoise as his hand darted out in front of him, guiding the cold blooded fire towards its victim. He knew that this was his greatest hour, and he would take no chances. Seeing the lightning strike its victim, he repeated the motion in a mirror motion, firing a secondary bolt at the boy. The sensation feeling incredible to him, his eyes opening maniacally as a crooked grin grasped his face. His arms now moving of their own accord as light flashed continuously in front of him, lighting up his silhouette against the surrounding pillars every few seconds. _Not worthy to breath in my world. _His arms stopped their whirling mid-stroke when a howl of agony reached his ears, his feet leaving the slightest imprint on the earth as he ascended to the air, swooping in on his kill.

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The young boy's arms began to slow drastically as they attempted to drive away every arcing spike that came at him, his ancestors granting him their strength as his eye's outline shined with empty ovals of light, his body feeling nothing any more, no pain, no energy, as if he was not even in control any more, no more than a puppet on strings. His gaze so dark despite the onslaught of light both on the border of his vision and in the middle of it, strips of breath escaping his mouth while fingers danced around his torso shovelling away any lightning as fast as they could move. Thunderclaps and lightning surrounding the air all around him as new lightning would be separated from him into the sky every second. His mind already focusing on the next bolt, his left hand swaying from his side to in front of him, missing their mark by an inch, as the bolt continued alongside his arm, directly at his exposed stomach.

All feeling returned suddenly like a crashing wave, all the pain, all the weakness, all the surges as his anatomy writhed in agony, his pupils becoming dark and dilated as the light surrounding them faded completely, giving way to darkness. The empty hole of his mouth emitting a shout of agony, the same way his body had when his scar was impaled on the rock earlier, but now the pain was overwhelming, the curtain folding in as red turned to black, the floor coming up to swallow him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: Consequences**

Her mouth hung open limply in disbelief to what she had just witnessed, her mind telling her this could not be real, her "sight" telling her it was. As the monk's knees thudded to the ground, sending a ripple through the earth, her eyes started to feel pained, her mouth widening into a speechless O. As his upper body followed suit, hitting the hard ground below, her form shuddered, and her eyes abandoned the pain, as she felt a wet sensation replace it.

"Twinkles?..."

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Ozai stared content at the sight in front of him, the boy's sparking body drop to the ground, remaining still except for the uncontrollable tremors the lightning induced in him rhythmically. A curl hooked lip as realization hit him. The Avatar, the last threat, the boy had fallen to him, he had won! He rushed onwards to the pathetic figure shuddering face down on the floor, intent on finishing the job. His eyes now almost leaping out of their sockets with excitement, it was time to end this.

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The voice came back swift and focused to her mind, yelling at her with a hundred voices at once, the chaos in her head letting only one objective pass unobstructed

"Help him!"

Her legs kicked out subconsciously at this new purpose, practically screaming in her mind to use them, but all she could achieve was crawling on all fours to him, her mind blocking out the concept of standing, the single thought of propelling herself towards him as quickly as possible overriding her sense, her panic causing her to feel the blindness in her vision seep in, darkness outlining the edges of her peripheral vision, outlines becoming blurred, her hands no longer recognizing the smallest stone shards and chips littering the floor from their crash, her hands grazing and cutting themselves on these natural caltrops, not even a flinch betraying her focus though. At that moment only two objects maintained form in her state of panic. The small outline but a few feet ahead of her, flaring and shaking periodically, and the larger, bombarding outline launching it's way towards the first, it's speed making hers obsolete.

Even though Aang could not have been more than several feet away from her, the journey felt stretched for miles, doubts flashing across her mind, palms with countless drips of blood becoming slippery with sweat, legs maintaining their current marching tempo no matter how much she urged them on. The centre of her mind focused on reaching Aang before the storming Ozai, the back telling her she won't. Her eyes began to well with tears as she crawled, all the doubts and horrid possibilites enclosing the other thoughts like a barrier, tearing hope away. Aang was gone, the fire lord would reach him first and nobody lived now to stand up to him. But then her hand gripped soft matter on its unthinking path, her mind snapped back into the moment and hope restored her senses, her hands tightening their grip on the outline as it succumbed to another involuntary jerk. Toph lunged forward the remaining inches, hands stumbling over themselves as they came to rest on the bodies torso, droplets already beginning to soak the skin as her mind swirled around itself, trying to find the next part of a plan, an action, coming up useless, unwilling to offer any shred of aid, before a dramatic temperature change to her right did the thinking for her.

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His trophy lay in front of him he knew, but now this earth kingdom insect was blocking his line of sight to the defeated face of the testament to his power. He wanted to look into the eyes of the Avatar, to see the glow faded from them and replaced with closed eyelids, but instead his eyesight met the pale, sea-foam eyes of the girl before him, sides cascading with water. Such a sight from a young blind girl even wavered his raw emotions for split second, his eyebrows curving outwards before resuming their hard stare, no weakness should be shown here.

"Stand aside girl."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five: Defiance**

"Stand aside girl" He repeated, voice layered with impatience this time, the pale-eyed girl just staring back at him, unwavering, that accursed look of incomprehension plastered across her face, such disobedience! And from a blind girl! His lapse of mercy had ended, if rumours that a young blind brat could stand up to him were to erupt in his world, then he would be ruined...

"Stand aside or be ended along with the boy!" He roared, cinder-like flames escaping his growl as his fists bundled to meet bone with bone. He raised his right hand to strike down both of the impudent youths, enough was enough.

When his fury suddenly dropped as his gaze followed a rock the size of head whistling by his face, grazing the edge of his nose as it passed his turning head, before shattering against a pillar behind him. Eyes snapping back to the source he found a dome of rock hastily constructed around the place of the two youths, his lip smirked, such a quickly constructed dome was a pitiful defence against the Phoenix King, his still raised hand falling down to enveloped the dome, the pinpoint of the flame penetrating the rocky hull and searing every muscle, organ and tissue within.

The dome cracked and demolished to nothing, smouldering still from the fiery barrage, Ozai returned his hand to his side, satisfied at the coup de grace he had delivered, His smirk gaining malicious curve as his eyes squinted in content, gazing through the smoke at the charred remains.

Suddenly his eyes shot wide, behind the smoke lied nothing but more rock! The canyon floor! The children had disappeared into thin air, it was impossible. A trick of his mind, he knelt down to examine the stone, his palms smearing the blood, staining the hard rock. They were there, and he had lost them, the smoke began to dissipate away, confirming the boy's body was moved. Rage from failure boiled up inside the Phoenix King's stomach, steam venting from his flaring nostrils while fire simmered out through grinding teeth. The valley echoing with the the furious roar emitted from his arching head.

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She could hear the cry rumbling through the dirt, sound waves funnelling through the ten foot of ground separating Ozai and them as if it was paper. She struggled to restrain her whining and sniffing as she desperately tried to remain silent, as her life depended on it.

After a few minutes, she tried to focus on the vibrations above, feeling none, she allowed herself to stir slightly from on top of the broken and scarred form beneath her. Her fingertips tracing the skin from his shoulder-blades, down to his torso, then trembling their way down to just below the centre of his ribcage, where she felt the flesh distort and shift with her touch. Gently sliding her other hand down his spine, she searched for the scar on his back, her eyes feeling watery once more as she hung her head in empathy for the monk, feeling the same sensation beneath both her fingers on his back, and below his ribcage. No longer able to restrain the soft, crying whimpers coming from her mouth, she felt incredibly sorry for putting Aang through all this, as her head rested below his neck for a long time, crying as the one thought swimming through her head constantly reimbursed her tears.

_No-one should ever have to die twice._

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Phew, update done, I'm really sorry for the prolonged time in an update. I've been busier than I thought I would be with life so I have not had much time to continue on with the plot, never mind the writing, but I promised myself that if 3 people took the time to leave reviews I would make the time to update. so I hope I have made it up to you with 2 more chapters instead of one =D.

I'm hoping to update again soon. Leave some thoughts, comments, reviews and even troll Ihateits for the story (as long as you leave a reason WHY you don't like it, I'm fine ;) ), it drives me forward faster to finishing this looong story. Thanks a lot for the patience and hope you stay tuned!


	6. Chapter 6

Hello all who have been with me so far.

As most of you may have been able to guess by now, I have not managed to find the time to update in MONTHS, I have recently restarted college, work, and other personal things in my day to day life which take up 90% of my free time, I did still intend to update the story if I ever got such as an hour free by chance at regular points in time. However by doing this I doubt I would be able to update more than once a month, and I do not want to progress in something at that pace (I'm a perfectionist) as it will feel rushed and the story will lose a considerable amount of its good qualities which I take pride in.

Also, to whoever it may concern, my drive for finishing the book was severely diminished when The Last Airbender came out and I took the time to see it. I was utterly disgusted by the movie as a lot of other fans were, and shortly after I lost the will to continue working on Denying Destiny and soon after lost a lot of my affinity with Avatar, and I cannot foresee me regaining my love for the show and it's world anytime soon.

Thanks to all of you for the feedback and taking the time to read my story.

::: I currently have no plans to continue this fanfic, and my final chapter coincidentally ended on an ending-like note (although a depressing one which I am disappointed in) but if someone would like to continue the story, continue from the canon, or use any of the imagery or ideas within this fanfic they have my full permission to do as they see fit with it's contents. As long as it is not for purely trolling purposes ;). Thank you


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